Textured Water-Repellant Fabric

ABSTRACT

Textured fabrics have raised projections separated by depressed areas. The raised projections have heights of 0.3 to 8 mm above the level of the surrounding depressed areas. The raised projections have a pitch of 0.25 to 10 mm. The raised projections are locked into the fabric by the presence of a flexible, crosslinked polymer. The fabrics are water-resistant and breathable. The raised projections and the depressed areas create channels through which water can flow, maintaining the air permeability of the textured fabric during rainstorms. The textured fabric may be part of an outerwear rain jacket.

The present invention relates to a water-repellant fabric and a method for making such a fabric.

There are large markets for water-repellant fabrics. These include, for example, various items of apparel, tarpaulins, tents, umbrellas, awnings, and the like. In some applications, the fabric is exposed to rain or other water sprays. In heavy rains or coarse sprays, large water droplets strike the fabric with significant kinetic energy. This energy causes the water to penetrate through the spaces between water-repellent yarns, thereby penetrating through the fabric. Developing a fabric that effectively repels water under these conditions has proven to be a significant challenge.

One solution to the problem is to make the fabric very thick or have multiple layers. The increased fabric weight and thickness cannot be tolerated in most applications. In apparel, the added weight makes the fabric quite uncomfortable to wear except perhaps in very cold conditions. When used in supported structures such as tents and awnings, the increased fabric weight restricts the size of the structures, or else requires stronger, more expensive (and often heavier) support apparatus. The greater weight makes the fabrics more difficult to transport and use, and in some cases may even preclude them from use

Another solution is to use a membrane as the fabric itself or as one layer in a multi-layer structure. Membranes are microporous materials that have very low air permeabilities. An example of such a fabric is known commercially as Gore-Tex®, which is used extensively in apparel applications. The Gore-Tex material is a multilayer structure that typically includes a durable, water-repellent (DWR) polyester or nylon face fabric laminated to a microporous membrane layer. The microporous layer is designed to allow water vapor to penetrate, which in theory allows a wearer to feel comfortable because water vapor can escape rather than condense on the fabric. The DWR face fabric is used to protect the delicate membrane fabric and for durability and appearance of the membrane jacket. In practice, condensation still often occurs, depending on the temperature and how much water vapor and/or perspiration is present. Fabrics of this type are best suited for colder conditions because the membrane itself provides wind-resistant, thermal insulation, due at least in part to its low air permeability. These fabrics often become quite uncomfortable when worn in warmer conditions.

More recently, other durable water repellent (DWR) fabric treatments have become available. These treatments are usually applied at low coating weights, which is an advantage because the fabrics remain supple and lightweight. Fabrics of this type that are used for raingear applications often have air permeabilities of 2 to 20 scfm (standard cubic feet/minute) as measured by ASTM D737. This makes them breathable which leads to improved perceived comfort. However, these coatings are not as effective in repelling water as are the membrane-based materials. In essence, poorer water repellency is traded for improved comfort.

Both the DWR-treated fabric without membrane backing and the microporous membrane with a DWR face fabric can fail in heavy rains, leaving the wearer uncomfortable and wet if the DWR fabric becomes water-logged. When water-logged, any fabric loses its air permeability because the open space between the yarn becomes filled with water. When this happens, both fabric types lose their breathability. Loss of air permeability can also occur in extremely heavy rains because running sheets of water cover the face fabric even if the face fabric DWR treatment is effective. When the face fabric becomes water logged or is covered by running sheets of water, the microporous membrane offers no breathability. This reduces comfort and can cause condensation, leading to wetness. Another shortcoming of these fabrics is that the DWR treatment, while resistant to removal, is in fact removed over time, particularly when the fabric is repeatedly laundered. Loss of the treatment leads to a loss of water repellency, which in turns also leads to a loss of air permeability

Other water-repellent textiles take advantage of the “lotus leaf effect” to impart hydrophobic characteristics. The lotus leaf effect is produced by multiple, very small surface projections, on the order of a few microns in size, on a non-porous, highly hydrophobic surface. Applied water drops sit atop these projections for the purpose of increasing the contact angle of the water drop. The drops rest on a cushion of air that resides around the projections and under the water drops. The “lotus leaf effect” is aimed at decreasing the roll resistance of water drops from a hydrophobic surface and it does not have any significant effect or benefit on water drops that impinge a fabric with high kinetic energy.

What is desired is a fabric that is highly water-repellent, yet supple, lightweight and breathable. In particular, it is required that the fabric provides good water-repellency under conditions of heavy rain and/or coarse water sprays.

The invention is in one aspect a textured fabric coated with a crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating, the textured fabric being characterized in having an air permeability,of at least 0.1 scfm (0.0472 l/s) as measured according to ASTM D737 and a rating of at least 90 on the AATCC Test Method 22 (Water Repellency Spray Test), wherein the textured fabric has at least one three-dimensional surface characterized by having raised projections separated by depressed areas wherein the raised projections have a pitch (center-to-center spacing) of 0.25 to 10 mm and a height of about 0.3 to 8 mm above the height of the depressed areas, and wherein the crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating locks the three-dimensional surface into the textured fabric.

The invention is also a method for producing a textured fabric, comprising:

a) contacting an impregnated fabric against a textured template to form a three-dimensional surface on the impregnated fabric, which three-dimensional surface includes raised projections separated by depressed areas wherein the raised projections have a pitch of 0.25 to 10 mm and a height of about 0.3 to 8 mm above the height of the depressed areas, wherein

i) the fabric prior to impregnation has an untreated air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm (0.0472 l/s) as measured by ASTM D737; and

ii) the fabric is impregnated with a curable coating composition that is applied to at least one surface of the fabric, wherein the curable coating composition 1) at 22° C. and at atmospheric pressure is a liquid or a suspension of one or more solids in a liquid phase and 2) is curable to form a crosslinked, hydrophobic flexible polymer;

b) at least partially curing the curable coating composition while the impregnated fabric is in contact with the template to form a crosslinked, polymeric coating and lock the three-dimensional surface into the fabric; and then

c) removing the fabric with the three-dimensional surface from the template;

wherein the treated fabric having the three-dimensional surface has an air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm (0.0472 l/s) as measured according to ASTM D737 and a rating of at least 90 on the AATCC Test Method 22 (Water Repellency Spray Test).

The invention is also a multilayer fabric comprising at least one layer of a textured fabric of the invention, and at least one other layer.

The invention in another aspect is a textured garment comprising a textured fabric of the invention on at least one exterior surface thereof.

FIG. 1 is a micrograph of a textured fabric of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of a projection of the textured fabric of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view showing an embodiment of a textured fabric of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a micrograph of a textured fabric of the invention showing raised projections in a fish-scale arrangement.

FIG. 5 is a micrograph of a textured fabric of the invention showing raised projections in the form of ridges.

Turning to FIG. 1, there is shown a fabric 1 of the invention, having a three-dimensional upper surface 5. Three-dimensional upper surface 5 includes multiple raised projections 2, some of which are indicated by reference numerals 2, which are separated by depressed areas, some of which are indicated by reference numerals 3.

In some embodiments of the invention, such as is shown in FIG. 1, the raised projections have low aspect ratios (length-to-width ratio in the plane of the fabric) such as from 1 to 5, especially from 1 to 3, from 1 to 2 or from 1 to 1.5. Length and width of a raised projection are measured at its base for purposes of calculating aspect ratio. “Length” here refers to the longest dimension in the plane of the fabric.

The raised projections have a pitch of at least 0.25 mm. The pitch may be at least 0.5 mm, at least 0.67 mm or at least 1 mm and may be, for example, up to 10 mm, up 5 mm or up to 3.16 mm. “Pitch” is the center-to-center distance between a raised projection and the nearest adjacent raised projection.

In embodiments in which the raised projections have a low aspect ratio (especially an aspect ratio of 1), the number of raised projections may be at least 1.2/cm², at least 4/cm², or at least 10/cm², and may be up to 1600/cm², up to 400/cm², up to 225/cm² or up to 100/cm².

Raised projections such as raised projections 2 may have a height of at least 0.3, at least 0.5, at least 1 or at least 2 mm, and may have heights up to 8 mm, up to 6.5 mm, up to 5 mm, up to 4.5 mm, up to 4 mm or up to 3.5 mm. The height of any raised projection 2 is the elevation of the highest point of such raised projection above the elevation of the lowest adjacent depressed area 3, as indicated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 7 indicates the top surface of a raised projection 2 of fabric 1, and reference numeral 6 indicates the elevation of adjacent depressed areas 3. The height H of raised projection 2 is the difference between the elevation of top surface 7 and elevation 6 of depressed area 3. If the surrounding depressed areas do not have the same elevation, the height H of a raised depression 2 is taken as the difference between the elevation of top surface 7 and the elevation of the lowest surrounding depressed area 3.

The heights of the raised projections may all be the same. Alternatively, some raised projections 2 may have different heights than others.

The shape of the raised projections is not especially critical. However, it is generally preferred that the bases of the raised projections have larger areas than the top surfaces, i.e., the cross-sectional area of the raised projections diminishes from the base to the top in one or more steps, or continuously. FIG. 3 illustrates raised projections having this feature. In FIG. 3, raised projections 2 are separated by depressed areas 3 as before. As shown in FIG. 3, raised projections 2 take the form of truncated pyramids having a square base and therefore 4 sides. Top surfaces 7 of raised projections 2 have length D². Raised projections 2 have bases of length D¹.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, depressed areas 3 in some embodiments are contiguous, forming channels such as channels 4 and 4A. Water or other fluid can collect in such channels and flow through them. The channels may lead, for example, to an edge of the fabric or an article made from such a fabric, or to a non-horizontal (including vertical) surface or other surface of such a fabric or article, to conduct water through the channels and off of the fabric or article. Note that when channels 4 and 4A are filled with flowing water, the air permeability of the fabric is maintained through area 7, and partially by the sloped sides, 2, that are above the water line.

The top surface of a raised projection may have, for example, a cross-sectional area that is as small as 0.01% of that of the base (which represents a sharp point), as small as 1% of that of the base or as small as 10% of that of the base. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the top surface of a raised projection may be up to 75%, up to 60%, up to 50% or up to 35% of that of the base.

Although shown as truncated square pyramids in each of FIGS. 1-3, the shape of raised projections 2 is not generally considered to be critical and raised projections 2 may assume many other configurations. Among these are, for example, cones or truncated cones having, for example, a circular, elliptical, oval, lens-shaped, crescent shaped, trefoil, quatrefoil, cinquefoil, nephroid, folium, kidney-shaped, heart-shaped, teardrop or egg-shaped base. Some or all of the raised projections and/or depressed area also may individually or collectively take the form of a selected logo, trademark or other graphic. The base may correspond to a segment of any of the foregoing, such as a semi-circle or circle segment, a semi-ellipse or ellipse segment, etc. The raised projections may be pyramids or truncated pyramids having a polygonal base and a corresponding number of sides. The polygonal base may be a regular polygon (such as square, rectangular, parallelogram, trapezoidal, rhombic, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, etc.) or an irregular polygon as a star-shaped base or a chevron-shaped base.

The raised projections may take the form of columns in which the base has any of the shapes indicated in the foregoing paragraph. Columnar projections have base areas equal to the areas of their top surfaces.

The sides of the raised projections can be straight (as in cones and pyramids) and/or curved (such as in a dome-shaped raised projection).

The raised projections maintain their shape and their flexibility due to the presence of the crosslinked, flexible polymer.

The raised projections do not need to all have the same shape or size.

The raised projections do not need to be symmetrical. For example, the raised projections can assume a “fish-scale” shape and arrangement, in which the projections rise sharply along a leading edge (which may be curved) from an adjacent depressed area, and then slopes more gradually down toward a trailing edge that borders the opposing depressed area. Such a “fish-scale” arrangement is representative of a fabric that exhibits bio-mimicry characteristics, that is, is designed to emulate a functional surface of a biological organism, in this case, a scaly fish. Other suitable examples of projections that exhibit bio-mimicry characteristics can be, for example, arrangements that emulate mammalian hair, avian feathers, reptilian scales or other vertebrate skin patterns such as leather patterns. Additionally, the biomimicry provided by this invention can be useful for reducing wind resistance and water resistance. Reducing wind resistance is beneficial in certain products that during use are exposed to wind conditions. These include outdoor sports apparel such as track uniforms, running jackets, running shorts and the like, as well as articles such as umbrellas, tarps, tents and awnings. Water resistance reduction (such as fish scales design) is beneficial in water sports apparel such as swimwear and diving gear, in articles that are used in submerged or semi-submerge conditions.

Such a fish-scale arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, projections 2 are asymmetric from a leading edge 8 towards a trailing edge 9. Each of projections 2 rises sharply more rapidly (i.e., at a greater angle) from leading edge 8 towards its highest point, and recede more slowly (i.e., at a lesser angle) from its highest point towards trailing edge 9. The regions proximate to trailing edges 9 of projections 2 form depressed areas 3. As shown, leading edges 8 of projections 2 preferably are non-linear. As shown, such leading edges 8 are curvilinear, in each case curving at its extremities toward the corresponding trailing edge 9 of the particular projection 2. Leading edges 8 may be, for example, angled in one or more places, preferably such that the extremities of each leading edge 8 angle towards the corresponding trailing edge 9 of the particular projection 2.

In some embodiments, raised projections 2 are arranged in a regular array as shown, for example, in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, raised projections 2 are arranged in a square array, each raised projection 2 being the same distance from each adjacent raised projection 2. Alternatively, raised projection can be arranged in other patterns such as, for example, a rhombic (diamond), parallelogram or rectangular pattern, as a series of concentric circles, ellipses or ovals, or other pattern as may be desirable. Such a pattern may be selected to provide a desired visual or other aesthetic effect, such as a logo, trademark, a flowing river or waterfall, swimming fish or other graphic.

Alternatively, the raised projections may be distributed randomly across the surface of the fabric.

In some embodiments, the raised projections have aspect ratios in excess of 5 and may have lengths that are coterminous with the edges of the fabric, i.e., they span the fabric. Such high aspect ratio raised projections take the form of “ridges” in the textured fabric. Such ridges in some embodiments are not intersecting, the depressed areas between adjacent ridges forming channels as described before. Such high aspect ratio raised projections have pitches and heights as described above. As with the low aspect ratio projections described before, the bases of ridges may have larger areas than the top surfaces, i.e., the cross-sectional area of the ridges diminishes from the base to the top in one or more steps, or continuously. However, this is not critical. The cross-sectional shape of ridges (taken transverse to their length may be, for example, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, other polygonal, semi-circular, semi-elliptical, other rounded, and the like. They may have an asymmetrical cross-sectional shape.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment in which the raised projections form ridges. In FIG. 5, textured fabric 1 has three-dimensional upper surface 5. Raised projections 2, 2′ and 2″ all form ridges that traverse the length of textured fabric 1. Depressed area 3 separate adjacent ridges 2, the pitch being equal to the distance from the center of any ridge to the adjacent ridge 2, such as the distance between ridge 2′ and ridge 2″. Depressions 3 are seen in FIG. 5 to form parallel channels from which water or other applied fluid can easily drain from upper surface 5 of textured fabric 1. Under spray conditions, the top surfaces of ridges 2, 2′ and 2″ remain above the water level contained in depressions 3, and so would remain air permeable even under the heaviest rainfall.

The fabric is characterized in being porous, having an untreated (i.e., prior to application of the coating) air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm (standard cubic feet per minute) (0.0472 L/s) as measured by ASTM D737, using a SDL Atlas M021A instrument and a 20 cm² test area. A preferred type of fabric is a fibrous textile or nonwoven, a substrate that is made up of or includes fibers of at least one type. The fibers define interstitial void spaces which account at least in part for the air permeability of the fabric. The air permeability of the untreated fabric may be at least 1 (0.472), 2 (0.942), at least 3 (1.416), at least 5 (2.36), at least 7 (3.304) or at least 10 (4.72) scfm (L/s) on this test, and may be as high as, for example, 50 (23.6) scfm (L/s). The fabric may have a moisture transmission rate of at least 1000 g/m²/24 hours, preferably 5000 to 500,000 g/m²/24 hour, as measured according to JISL 1099B1.

The starting fabric is untextured, by which it is meant that it does not contain raised projections as are formed in the coating and texturing of this invention. The starting fabric preferably is flat, meaning that it has no raised features (such as raised cords or wales).

The fabric may be constructed of, for example, of fibers that are woven, knitted, entangled, knotted, felted, glued or otherwise formed into a fabric, or other textile having an air permeability as described above. Such a fabric includes fibers that may be, for example, a natural fiber such as cotton, hemp, wool, linen, silk, tencel, rayon, leather, bamboo, cellulose and the like, or a synthetic fiber such as polyamide, para- or meta-aramid, polypropylene, polyester (including PET), polyacetate, polyacrylic, polylactic acid, cellulose ester or other fiber, and blends of any two or more of the above. Non-woven fabrics as are made from polyolefins such as polypropylene, nylons, polyesters such as PET or poly(lactic acid) are useful fabrics. The fabric may be a smooth or fleeced fabric and it may contain a minor (up to 50%, preferably up to 10% or up to 3% by weight of the fabric before treatment) of a stretchable fiber, such as Elastane, Lycra, or Spandex.

The raised projections are superimposed upon any surface features that may be present on the untextured fabric, such as, for example, the weave and/or knit pattern of the fabric, the bending of fibers and yarns as they cross one another, and the like. The surface features of the untreated fabric are not considered as “raised projections” for purposes of this invention.

The fabric before treatment may have a weight, for example, of 15 to 500 grams per square meter (gsm). In some embodiments, the areal weight is 15 to 350, 15 to 100, 15 to 70 or 15 to 50 gsm.

The fabric before treatment may have a thickness of no greater than about 12 mm, and preferably has a thickness of no greater than 10 mm, no greater than 8 mm, no greater than 4 mm, no greater than 2 mm or no greater than 0.2 mm. The textile can have any smaller thickness provided it has enough mechanical integrity to be textured as described herein. The fabric can be calendered and/or compressed (such as between two hot metal rollers) to provide thinner thickness and an oblong yarn cross section.

The textured flexible fabric of the invention is formed by polymerization of at least one crosslinked, curable coating. The amount of the cureable coating is great enough to mechanically lock the three-dimensional surface described above into the fabric and to provide the requisite water repellency, while at the same time not so great as to block substantially all of the pores of the fabric and reduce its air permeability to below 0.1 scfm (0.0472 l/s) on the ASTM D737 test.

By “locking” the three dimensional surface, it is meant that the crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating provides mechanical support to maintain the three- dimensional surface of the textured fabric when the fabric is not under tension. If the fabric is placed under sufficient tension (such as by stretching), the flexible nature of the polymeric coating may allow the raised projections may be temporarily flattened. However, the three-dimensional shape should be largely restored upon release of the tension.

The coating weight of the crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating may be, for example, at least 3, at least 10, at least 20, at least 30, at least 40 or at least 50 grams per square yard. It may be, for example, up to 150, up to 125, up to 100, up to 90 or up to 80 grams per square yard, provided that the textured fabric has the requisite air permeability. The crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating may constitute, for example, 5 to 50%, 15 to 35% or 18 to 30% of the combined weight of the untreated fabric and the coating.

The crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating may form a distinct surface layer of the textured fabric. Preferably, however, at least a portion of the coating individually coats at least some of the fibers and/or yarns from which the fabric is formed and may even penetrate between such fibers and/or into the yarns, rather than forming a distinct surface layer on top of the fabric surface. By coating fibers and/or yarns individually, the porous nature of the untreated fabric is largely preserved, and the air permeability of the fabric is largely retained by the coated fabric.

The textured fabric is characterized in exhibiting a rating of at least 90 on the AATCC Test Method 22 (Water Repellency Spray Test) as described further below. It may exhibit a rating of at least 95 or a rating of 100 on that test. The textured fabric preferably exhibits a water weight gain as measured according to the AATCC Test Method 22 of no more than 2 grams, preferably no more than 1 gram and more preferably no more than 0.5 grams on that test and may exhibit a weight gain of as little as zero or as little as 0.1 grams.

The textured fabric preferably also has an untreated air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm (standard cubic feet per minute) (0.0472 l/s) as measured by ASTM D737, using a SDL Atlas M021A instrument and a 20 cm² test area. Its air permeability may be at least 1 (0.472) at least 2 (0.944), at least 3 (1.416), at least 5 (2.36), at least 7 (3.304), at least 10 (4.72), at least 50 (23.6), at least 75 (35.4), at least 125 (59) or at least 180 (84.96) cubic scfm (l/s) on this test. The textured fabric may have a moisture transmission rate of at least 1000 g/m²/24 hours, preferably 5000 to 500,000 g/m²/24 hour, as measured according to JISL 1099B1.

The crosslinked flexible polymeric coating in some embodiments includes a copolymer of a) at least one monomer that has exactly one polymerizable group per molecule and least one hydrocarbyl group that has at least six carbon atoms bonded directly or indirectly to the polymerizable group and b) at least one crosslinking monomer. The monomers a) and b) preferably are free-radical curable. Monomer a) preferably has a boiling temperature of at least 100° C., at least 120° C. or at least 150° C. at one atmosphere pressure.

The hydrocarbyl group of monomer a) may be partially fluorinated, perfluorinated or non-fluorinated.

Preferably, at least one component a) monomer has a vapor pressure of no greater than 6.7 kPa, more preferably no greater than 1 kPa, at the polymerization temperature in step 4) of the process.

The component a) monomer or monomers may be (prior to polymerization) liquid or solid at 22° C. If a mixture of monomers is used, they may all be liquids, may all be solids, or they may include a mixture of solid and liquid monomers. In preferred embodiments, component a) is a mixture of at least two monomers, at least one of which (as a pure chemical) is solid at 22° C. and at least one of which is liquid at 22° C.

The polymerizable groups of the monomers a) and b) are preferably alkenyl, acrylate, methacrylate or chlorosilane groups. Acrylate and/or methacrylate polymerizable groups are most preferred.

The hydrocarbyl group of monomer a) may be linear or branched aliphatic group, an alicyclic group, an aromatic group or a group that includes of two or more of such groups. The hydrocarbyl group may contain at least 10 or at least 12 carbon atoms. The hydrocarbyl group may contain, for example, 6 to 24 carbon atoms, 8 to 24 carbon atoms, 10 to 20 carbon atoms, or 12 to 18 carbon atoms. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbyl group is a linear alkyl or alkenyl group having 8 to 24, 10 to 20 or 12 to 18 carbon atoms. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbyl group is partially or perfluorinated, and contains 6 to 24, or preferably 8 to 20 carbon atoms.

Water preferably is soluble in the component a) monomer(s) to the extent of no greater than 2 parts by weight, more preferably no greater than 1 parts by weight and more preferably no greater than 0.25 part by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the monomer(s), at 30° C.

Examples of component a) monomers include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: acrylic acid, methyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, n-octyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, n-octyl methacrylate, decyl acrylate, decyl methacrylate, lauryl acrylate, lauryl methacrylate, tetradecyl acrylate, tetradecyl methacrylate, hexadecyl acrylate, hexadecyl methacrylate, octadecyl acrylate, octadecyl methacrylate, 2-(perfluorohexyl)ethyl acrylate, 2-(perfluorooctyl)ethyl acrylate, 2-(perfluorodecyl)ethyl acrylate, 2-(perfluorohexyl)ethyl methacrylate, 2-(perfluorooctyl)ethyl methacrylate, lauryl methacrylate, stearyl methacrylate, 2-(perfluorodecyl)ethyl methacrylate, 2-(perfluorooctyl)ethyl trichlorosilane, stearyl acrylate, and vinyl naphthalene. Among these, the acrylate and methacrylate monomers described above are most preferred.

The crosslinking monomer has at least two free-radical-curable groups and a boiling temperature of at least 100° C. at one atmosphere pressure. The boiling point of the component a) monomer is preferably is at least 125° C. and more preferably at least 150° C. at one atmosphere pressure. The crosslinking monomer preferably is a liquid at 22° C. The free-radical-curable polymerizable groups may be as described above with regard to component a), with acrylate or methacrylate groups being preferred. The crosslinking monomers may have, for example 2 to 20, preferably 2 to 8 and more preferably 2 to 6 free-radical-curable groups per molecule. Examples of crosslinking monomers include acrylate or methacrylate compounds having 2 to 20, preferably 2 to 8 or 2 to 6 acrylate and/or methacrylate groups per molecule. Specific examples include acrylate and/or methacrylate esters of polyols having 2 to 50, 2 to 20 or 4 to 12 carbon atoms, such as 1,4-butanediol diacrylate, 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate, 1,8-octanediol diacrylate, 1,3 butanediol dimethacrylate, 1,4 butanediol dimethacrylate, cyclohexane dimethanol diacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, glycerin triacrylate, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate, dipentaerythritol tetraacrylate, diepentaerythritol hexacrylate, the corresponding methacrylates, and the like. So-called drying oils like linseed oil, safflower oil and tung oil are also useful crosslinkers.

The crosslinked, flexible polymer in some embodiments is obtained by curing a curable coating composition that includes monomers a) and b), as described more fully below. Such a curable coating composition preferably includes one or more other optional components as described hereinafter.

One such optional component is c) one or more heat- or UV-activated free-radical initiators. Suitable polymerization initiators include free radical initiators such as, for example, 1) acyl peroxides such as acetyl or benzoyl peroxides, 2) alkyl peroxides such as cumyl, dicumyl, lauroyl, or t-butyl peroxides, 3) hydroperoxides such as t-butyl or cumyl hydroperoxides, 4) peresters such t-butyl perbenzoate, 5) other organic peroxides, including 1,1-bis(tert-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane, acyl alkylsulfonyl peroxides, dialkyl peroxydicarbonates, diperoxyketals, ketone peroxides, or 1,1-Bis(tert-butylperoxy)-3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane, tert-butyl peroxide, 6) azo compounds such as 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), 2,2′-azodi(2-methylbutyronitrile) (AMBN), or 2,2′-azobis(2,4-dimethylpentanenitrile), 4,4′-azobis(4-cyanovaleric acid), or 1,1′-azobis (cyclohexanecarbonitrile), 7) various tetrazines and 8) various persulfate compounds such as potassium persulfate. Polymerization initiators that are solids at 22° C. are preferred, as are those having a 10 hour half-life at a temperature of 60° C. or more. Those having a 5 minute half-life temperature of at least 100° C. are especially preferred. The polymerization initiator in some embodiments may also have a half-life of at least one minute at 100° C. or a half-life of at least 5 minutes at 100° C.

The curable coating composition of the invention may also contain one or more of the following optional components:

d) One or more free-radical-curable monomers different from components a) and c). Such a monomer may have a boiling temperature of below 100° C. Such a monomer may have exactly one free-radical-polymerizable group, or may have more than one such group, in which case it will function as a cross-linker. Such a monomer may be a liquid or solid at 22° C. The component d) monomer, if present, preferably is copolymerizable with the component a) and c) monomers. Preferred free-radical-polymerizable groups on the component d) monomer(s) are acrylate and methacrylate. Examples of component d) monomers include hexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, hexyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, 2-(perfluorobutyftethyl acrylate, 2-(perfluorobutyl)ethyl methacrylate, styrene, ethylene benzene, chlorostyrene, and the like.

e) One or more carriers. Useful carriers or mixture of carriers are liquid at 22° C. or else are materials that are solid at 22° C. but-have a melting temperature of 100° C. or less, preferably 50° C. or less. The carrier preferably also has a boiling temperature of at least 100° C., more preferably at least 125° C. and still more preferably at least 150° C. The carrier contains no free-radical-polymerizable groups. Preferred carriers have water-solubility characteristics as described with respect to the component a) monomers. However, the carrier preferably is soluble in or becomes partially entrained into the polymer formed when the coating composition is cured.

Examples of useful carriers are (i) aliphatic monoalcohols or aliphatic monocarboxylic acids having 14 to 30 carbon atoms; (ii) esters of a fatty acid and a fatty alcohol, the ester having 18 to 48 carbon atoms, preferably 20 to 36 carbon atoms; (iii) a polyether having one or more hydroxyl groups; (iv) a polysiloxane, which can be linear, branched or cyclic; (v) a polysiloxane-poly(alkylene glycol) copolymer; (vi) a wax, such as a polyethylene wax, bees wax, lanolin, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, ouricury wax, sugarcane wax, jojoba wax, epicuticular wax, coconut wax, petroleum wax, paraffin wax and the like, especially one having a melting temperature of greater than 22° C., preferably greater than 35° C. but no greater than 100° C., especially no greater than 50° C.; (vii) a fluoropolymer, (viii) solid vegetable and/or animal oils or fats; (viii) another organic oligomer or polymer having a pure phase melting or softening temperature up to 100° C. or (ix) various plasticizers.

Among the aliphatic monoalcohols are fatty alcohols, including saturated fatty alcohols such as 1-dodecanol, 1-tetradecanol, 1-hexadecanol, 1-octadecanol, and the like, as well as fatty alcohols have one or more sites of carbon-carbon unsaturation in the fatty alcohol chain. Among the useful esters of a fatty acid and a fatty alcohol are, for example, hexyl octadecanoate, octyl octadecanoate, dodecyl octadecanoate, hexadodecyl octadecanoate, and the like. The fatty acid and/or fatty alcohol portions of the ester may contain one or more sites of carbon-carbon unsaturation.

Suitable polyethers are polymers of one or more cyclic ethers such as propylene oxide, tetramethylene glycol and the like. The molecular weight is high enough to produce a polymer having a melting temperature up to 100° C. The polyether may contain one or more hydroxyl groups. It may be linear or branched. The polyether may contain terminal alkyl ester groups. Specific examples of suitable polyethers include poly(ethylene oxide), monoalkyl esters of a poly(ethylene oxide), poly(propylene oxide), monoalkyl esters of a poly(propylene oxide), ethylene oxide-propylene oxide copolymers and monoalkyl esters thereof, poly(tetramethylene oxide) and the like.

Useful polysiloxanes include, for example, poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) and copolymers thereof. The polysiloxane may be linear, branched or cyclic. Useful siloxane-poly(alkylene glycol) copolymers include, for example, poly(dimethyl siloxane-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers that can have a block or graft structure.

Organic polymers having melting temperatures below 100° C. that are useful as a component of the carrier or mixture of carriers includes low molecular weight polyamides, low molecular weight polyethers, low molecular weight polystyrene, low molecular weight acrylate polymers and copolymers such as poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMEA), polyacrylamide, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), poly(acrylic acid), low molecular weight thermoplastic cellulose ethers and esters, poly(2-ethylacrylic acid), poly(vinylphosphonic acid), poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) and the like.

Among the plasticizers are phthalate esters, trimellitate esters, adipate esters, maleate esters, benzoate esters, terephthalate esters, various fatty acid esters, epoxidized vegetable oils, sulfonamides, organophosphates, alkyl citrates, acetylated monogylcerides and the like, including preferably dioctyl sebacate, dioctyl maleate, and dioctyl adipate.

The carrier may provide certain functional attributes to the cured composition. In some embodiments, the carrier provides increased hydrophobicity and/or oleophobic properties to the cured composition. It may also perform a plasticizing function.

Especially preferred carriers include polysiloxane oils, waxes and alcohol carriers. Especially preferred polysiloxane oils include octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, and linear or branched polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) oil such as hexamethyldisiloxane, octamethyltrisiloxane, decamethyltetrasiloxane, dodecamethylpentasiloxane, polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) oil, and other liquid cyclomethicones. Paraffin or beeswax waxes are especially preferred wax carriers. Stearyl and cetyl alcohol are especially preferred alcohol carriers and are solids at 22° C.

The carrier may also include low molecular weight organic compounds that have boiling temperatures below 100° C., but if such materials are present, they preferably constitute in the aggregate no more than 2 weight percent of the curable composition, and preferably no more than 1 weight percent or 0.25 weight percent thereof. These low molecular weight organic compounds include, for example, liquid polyethers and polyether mono alkyl esters such as PPG-14 monobutyl ester; liquid alkanes such as n-hexane, n-pentane, n-heptane, henicosane, docosane, tricosane, tetracosane, pentacosane, hexacosane, heptacosane, octacosane, nonacosane, triacontane and the like; liquid alcohols such as n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, t-butanol, methanol and ethanol; fluorinated alkanes such as perfluorohexane, perfluoroheptane, perflurodecane-pinane, perfluorodecane-octane, perfluorododecane and the like; chlorinated alkanes and chlorinated aromatic compounds such as isoamyl chloride, isobutyl chloride and benzyl chloride; alkane diols and polyalkylene glycols such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol and 1,4-butane diol; liquid esters such as diisopropyl sebacate and glycerol tripalmitate; ketones such as acetone and methyl ethyl ketone; liquid fatty acids such as stearic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, lauric acid and the like; 1-naphthalamine; biphenyl; benzophenone; diphenyl amine; 1,2-diphenylethane; maleic anhydride; pyrazine; thymol; glycerin; sorbitol or other sugars; and dibenzylidene sorbitol.

f) One or more finishing attribute chemicals. A “finishing attribute chemical” is a compound, other than the carrier and monomer(s), which remains with the substrate after the treatment process of the invention and imparts some desirable characteristic to the substrate. Examples of finishing attribute chemicals include, for example:

f-1) hydrophobic treatments, i.e., chemicals that impart water-repellency and/or hydrophobic characteristics to the treated substrate;

f-2) oleophobic and lipophobic treatments, i.e., substances that render the treated substrate not readily absorbent to fats and oils, or repellent to fats and oils;

f-3) super-hydrophobicity agents; i.e., substances that impart very high (>130°) contact angles of a water droplet with a surface of the treated substrate. The super-hydrophobicity agent may include solid particles sized from 50 nm to 100 microns such as powdered fluorocarbon polymer powders. Other super-hydrophobicity agents include chlorinated or fluorinated silicone compounds such as heptadecafluorodecyltrimethoxysilane, trimethoxy(1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecafluorodecyl)silane, octadecyldimethylchlorosilane, tris(trimethylsiloxy)silylethyldimethylchlorosilane, octyldimethylchlorosilane, dimethyldichlorosilane, butyldimethylchlorosilane and trimethylchlorosilane.

f-4) Particulate solids that perform functions such as wicking agents, fillers, water scavengers, coloring agents, flame retardants, abrasives, rheology modifiers, and the like. Such particulate solids include, for example, silica gel particles, fumed silica, hydrophobic fumed silica, glass or other ceramic particles, polystyrene particles, polytetrafluoroethylene particles, poly(vinyl fluoride) particles, poly(vinylidene fluoride) particles, poly(hexafluoropropylene particles, poly(perfluoropropylvinylether) particles, poly-(perfluoromethylvinylether) particles, poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) particles, polypropylene microspheres, mineral powders such as talc, iron carbonate and calcium carbonate, and flame retardant minerals, such as calcium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, various borates, boron and/or phosphorous compounds and inorganic hydrates, titanium carbide, tungsten carbide, pumice, silicon carbide, zirconia alumina and zeolites.

f-5) antimicrobial treatments, i.e., substances that inhibit microbial growth and/or kill microorganisms, including Cu, Zn, Ag compounds, and chitosan particles.

f-6) UV absorbers and/or UV reflectors such as avobenzone, rutile titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, homosalate, oxybenzone, 4-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), octisalate, octocylene, 2-ethylhexyl 4- dimethylaminobenzoate and the like;

f-7) Colorants such as dyes and pigments. These include acid dyes, reactive dyes, and disperse dyes.

f-8) Wrinkle-resisting agents, such as melamine-formaldehyde resins and urea-formaldehyde resins;

f-9) Fabric softeners and anti-chafing agents, such as polydimethylsiloxane and polymethylhydrosilane;

f-10) Light and/or heat-reflecting materials such as reflective metal particles, titanium dioxide or ZnO particles and the like.

f-11) Emollients which create, for example, softness, wear comfort and/or moisturizing properties.

f-12) Insecticides and/or insect repellants, such as metofluthrin, transfluthrin, dichlovos, permethrin, thyme oil, rosemary oil, citronella oil, cinnamon bark oil, lemon eucalyptus oil, eucalyptus oil, lemongrass oil, N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), 2-undecanone, and 2-tridecanone and cedar wood oil.

f-13) Solid or liquid flame retardants, including various organophosphorous, phosphorous-containing, bromine-containing and boron-containing compounds including sodium tetraborate and boric acid.

f-14) Trace forensic chemical markers that are added to the formulation to help detect counterfeit goods or counterfeit finishing treatment. Such markers may contain rare earth elements, such as yittrium, scandium, cerium, europium or erbium, or other elements not normally found in textiles, or compounds that provide detectable fluorescence when exposed to ultraviolet light.

The chemical treatment mixture may also include g) one or more promoters or activators for a polymerization initiator. Metal salts such as iron, titanium or vanadium salts and manganese ions or manganese are examples of such promoters.

The chemical treatment mixture may further contain h) one or more blowing agents. Suitable blowing agents include physical (endothermic) types which are liquids at 22° C. but volatilize under the conditions of the curing step, and physical types which decompose or otherwise react under the conditions of the curing reaction to form a gas. If an organic physical blowing agent is present, it should be used in small amounts such that the curable composition contains no more than 10%, preferably no more than 5%, more preferably no more than 2% and still more preferably no more than 1%, even more preferably no more than 0.25% by weight of organic compounds having a boiling temperature of less than 100° C. Chemical blowing agents preferably generate carbon dioxide or nitrogen; these include the so-called azo types, peroxy blowing agents such as peroxyesters, peroxycarbonates and the like, and certain carbamate and citrate compounds.

The selection of the various ingredients of the curable coating composition, their proportions and the manner of preparing the composition preferably are all made such that the coating composition is a liquid at 22° C. or a suspension of one or more solids in a liquid phase at 22° C. and at atmospheric pressure, and the coating composition contains no more than 10% by weight of organic compounds that have boiling temperatures below 100° C. and no more than 5% by weight water, based on the entire weight of the coating composition. The curable coating composition preferably contains no more than 5%, more preferably no more than 2%, still more preferably no more than 1%, and even more preferably no more than 0.25% by weight of organic compounds that have boiling temperatures below 100° C., and no more than 2%, more preferably no more than 1% and still more preferably no more than 0.25% by weight of water.

The curable coating composition may contain, for example at least 1, at least 5, at least 10 or at least 25 weight percent of compounds that have a vapor pressure (at one atmosphere pressure) of 1 to 67 kPa, preferably 6.7 to 53 kPa, at the temperature of the polymerization step 4).

Component a) monomers (and component c) monomers, if present) may together constitute, for example, 0.5 to 100%, of the weight of the curable composition. In some embodiments, the component a) and c) monomers together constitute at least 1%, at least 1.2%, at least 2%, at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 25% or at least 40% of the weight of the curable coating composition. Components a) and c) together may constitute up to 90%, up to 80%, up to 70%, up to 60%, up to 50%, up to 40%, up to 25%, up to 10% or up to 5% of the weight of the curable coating composition. Component c) in some embodiments constitutes 5 to 50%, 10 to 40%, 10 to 30% or 15 to 25% of the combined weight of components a) and b).

Component d) monomers, if present, may constitute up to 50% of the weight of the curable composition, provided that if the component d) monomer has a boiling temperature of less than 100° C., then it is present in an amount such that the curable composition contains no more than 2% by weight of organic compounds having a boiling temperature of less than 100° C. A preferred amount, if any are present, is 0.01 to 25% by weight, or 0.01 to 10%, of the weight of the curable coating composition if the component d) monomer boils below 100° C. In some embodiments, component d) monomers, if present at all, constitute up to 5%, up to 2% or up to 1% of the combined weight of components a), b) and c)

Polymerization initiators such as free radical initiators may constitute up to 20% of the weight of the curable composition. A preferred amount is 0.1 to 10% by weight. A more preferred amount is 2-5% by weight of the curable composition. In some embodiments, the polymerization initiator(s) is present in an amount of up to 30% of the combined weight of components a), c) and d), such as 3 to 20% or 5 to 15% thereof.

The carrier or mixture of carriers, if present, may constitute, for example, 2 to 98%, of the weight of the curable composition. Carriers that are solid at 22° C. preferably are present in amounts of up to 150% of the weight of monomers (i.e., components a), c) and d). Such solid carriers in some embodiments are present in an amount of at least 10%, at least 20% or at least 30% of the weight of monomers, and up to 150%, up to 125% or up 100% on the same basis. Waxes (carrier type (vi) above) in particular are preferably present in amounts as indicated in the previous sentence.

Liquid (at 22° C. and at atmospheric pressure) carriers may perform a dilution function and therefor in some embodiments may constitute as much as 98 weight-% of the curable composition, or a low as about 2 weight-% thereof. In specific embodiments, the curable composition may contain at least 5 weight-%, at least 10 weight-%, at least 25 weight-%, at least 40 weight-%, at least 50 weight % or at least 70 weight-% of one or more liquid carriers. It may contain up to 96 weight-%, up to 90 weight-%, up to 75 weight-%, up to 50 weight-%, up to 35 weight-%, up to 25 weight-% or up to 10 weight-% in specific embodiments

Finishing attribute chemicals, when present, may in the aggregate constitute from 0.01 to 70%, preferably 0.01 to 25% and more preferably 0.01 to 10% of the weight of the curable composition. Forensic markers may be even lower, in the 1-1000 ppm level.

Other materials may in the aggregate constitute 0.01 to 70%, preferably 0.01 to 50%, more preferably 0.01 to 25%, and still more preferably 0.01 to 10%, of the weight of the curable composition.

A preferred curable composition contains 4 to 85% of component a), 2 to 25% of component c), 10 to 70%, more preferably 15 to 50%, of one or more carriers, and 0 to 35%, preferably 1 to 25% of one or more functional attribute materials. Another preferred curable composition contains 16 to 70% of component a), 3 to 20% of component c), 25-50% of one or more carriers, and 0 to 35%, preferably 1 to 25% of one or more functional attribute materials. Such preferred curable compositions contain 1 to 10 weight percent of one or more free-radical initiators. In some embodiments of such preferred curable compositions, component a) includes one or more acrylate or methacrylate monomers; component c) includes one or more monomers having 2 to 6 acrylate or methacrylate groups, component c) if present, includes one or more fatty acid acrylate compounds, and component e) includes one or more of a wax and a silicone oil.

A third preferred curable composition contains 1 to 75% of component a) and c) combined, wherein component c) constitutes 15 to 85% of the combined weights of components a) and c); 2 to 98% of one or more carriers, and 0 to 35%, preferably 1 to 25% of one or more functional attribute materials. In this preferred curable composition, the carrier preferably includes at least one liquid carrier and at least one solid (at 22° C.) carrier, and the solid carrier is preferably present in an amount of 10 to 150 weight-percent based on monomers (components a), c) and d). A fourth preferred curable composition contains 1 to 60% of components a) and c) combined, where component c) constitutes 20 to 65% of the combined weights of components a) and c), 30 to 100%, based on the weight of monomers, of one or more solid carriers, 2-98 weight-% of one or more liquid carriers, and 0 to 35%, preferably 1 to 25% of one or more functional attribute materials. These third and fourth preferred curable compositions preferably contains 3 to 20 or 5 to 15 weight percent of one or more free-radical initiators, based on the weight of monomers. In some embodiments of such third and fourth preferred curable compositions, component a) includes one or more acrylate or methacrylate monomers; component c) includes one or more monomers having 2 to 6 acrylate or methacrylate groups, component d) if present, includes one or more fatty acid acrylate compounds, and component e) includes one or more of a wax and a silicone oil.

An especially preferred curable composition (including the preferred compositions just described in the preceding two paragraph) includes at least one solid (at 22° C.) component a) monomer and at least one liquid (at 22° C.) component a) monomer. The solid component a) monomer(s) may constitute 20-85% or 20 to 65% of total weight of all component a) monomers. In such a composition, the solid component a) monomer may include a fatty acid acrylate in which the fatty acid group contains 18 or more carbon atoms, and the liquid component a) monomer may be a fatty acid acrylate in which the fatty acid group contains up to 16 carbon atoms and/or a fatty acid methacrylate in which the fatty acid group contains up to 18 carbon atoms. Such an especially preferred curable composition may contain 3-20% of component c). The component c) material in such a composition may include one or more of an alkane diol diacrylate, a pentaerythritol or dipentaerythritol polyacrylate and a drying oil such as linseed, safflower or tung oil. This especially preferred curable composition may contain 20-50% of component e), where component e) preferably includes at least one of a fatty alcohol, a wax and a silicone oil. This especially preferred curable composition may optionally contain 1-25% of at least one finishing attribute chemical and may contain up to 2% of a component d) monomer (if any at all).

The textured fabric originates from a starting untextured fabric that is coated by the curable coating composition and can be produced by coating a starting, untextured fabric with a curable coating composition as described herein, pressing the coated fabric against a textured surface of a textured template and at least partially curing the coating composition while the fabric in in contact with that textured surface. The fabric is pressed against a textured surface of the template under enough pressure to deform at least one surface of the fabric to impart three-dimensional features as described before to such surface of the fabric and held there until the curable coating composition is cured enough to form a solid, crosslinked polymer forms that locks the three-dimensional features into the surface of the fabric.

At least one surface of the textured template has three-dimensional features that correspond to the three-dimensional features to be imparted to the fabric, as described before.

The textured template may be, for example, a mold half; an embossed plate; an embossed roller; a series of embossed rollers, an embossed lamination belt, or other embossed surface.

The fabric may be pressed against the textured surface of the textured template using any method that applies enough pressure to deform a surface of the fabric to product the three-dimensional surface.

In some embodiments, the fabric is sandwiched between two textured templates during the at least partial curing step. The two textured templates in such a case may have mating surfaces, such that raised areas of the surface of one of the templates correspond to depressed areas of the surface of the opposing template and, conversely, depresses areas of the surface of one template correspond to raised areas of the opposing template. During the curing step, the fabric is placed between the textured templates to impart the desired surface characteristics to at least one surface of the fabric, and the curable coating composition is at least partially cured.

One of the textured templates may have a deformable surface, such as an elastomeric (such as natural rubber or a synthetic rubber) or an elastomeric polymer foam (which again may be of natural rubber or a synthetic elastomer) surface, which surface deforms when applied against an opposing textured template to assume three-dimensional surface features that correspond to the three-dimensional features of the opposing textured template.

In other embodiments, the fabric is passed between nip rollers, with one or both of the rollers being an embossed roller having a textured surface that imparts the desired three-dimensional surface to the fabric. The opposing nip roller may have a corresponding textured surface or may has a deformable surface that compresses to conform to the textured surface of the embossed roller.

In still other embodiments, the fabric is passed between opposing bands of a double band laminator, in which at least one of the bands has an embossed surface. The opposing band may have a corresponding embossed surface or may have a deformable surface.

The fabric is maintained in contact with the textured surface of the textured template under conditions sufficient, and for a period of time long enough, to at least partially cure the polymer. Sufficient curing is performed to convert the curable coating composition into a flexible, crosslinked polymer that mechanically locks the three-dimensional surface into the fabric. The three-dimensional structure of the fabric remains even after washing. Tests have shown that the textured fabric can withstand up to 30 wash/dry cycles. Curing may be continued in contact with the textured surface until, for example, at least 50, at least 60, at least 75, at least 85, at least 90 or at least 95 mole-% of the monomers has been converted to polymer.

If curing is not completed in contact with the textured surface, a subsequent step of completing the cure may be performed after the fabric is removed from the textured surface.

Suitable curing conditions may include an elevated temperature and/or the presence of free radicals. In certain embodiments, the curable coating composition includes a thermally-activated free radical initiator, and curing is performed at a temperature sufficient to decompose the free radical initiator and form free radicals. Preferred curing temperatures in such embodiments are in general from 80 to 210° C. The curing temperature may be at least 80° C., at least 90° C. or at least 120° C. and may be up to 190° C., up to 175° C., up to 160° C. or up to 150° C. An especially preferred curing temperature is 100 to 180° C. In preferred embodiments, the heating is achieved by heating the textured template to the aforementioned temperatures.

A template as described above may be heated to produce the requisite curing temperature.

In a preferred embodiment, the template is heated to the curing temperature, with the curing temperature and residence time of the fabric on the heated template being selected such that the residence time is equal to at least one half-life of the thermally-activated free radical initiator at that curing temperature. The residence time at the curing temperature on the template may be, for example, up to 10 times or up to 5 times the half-life of the thermally-activated free radical initiator at that curing temperature. In particular embodiments, the curing temperature (temperature of the template) is selected together with the thermally-activated free radical initiator such that the half-life is from 1 to 10 seconds, preferably 1 to 5 seconds, and the residence time is from 1 to 100 seconds, more preferably 1 to 50 seconds, 2 to 25 seconds or 5 to 25 seconds. Also, in accordance with the teachings of WO 2015/127479, this textured shaping may be done within a low oxygen environment.

Alternatively, or in addition, the curable coating composition or a component thereof generates free radicals when exposed to ultraviolet radiation, in which case polymerization can be induced by exposing the fabric to such ultraviolet radiation in a low oxygen environment. Irradiation can be performed at a temperature from 0 to 210° C. In some embodiments, radiation curing may be performed at a temperature of at most 150° C., at most 140° C. or at most 120° C. This may be advantageous when the fabric is temperature-sensitive. In other embodiments, radiation curing may be performed in conjunction with a thermal cure, at a temperature, for example, of at least 80° C., at least 120° C., or at least 140° C.

Alternatively, the partially-cured, textured fabric may be additionally cured, or polymerized by exposure to a plasma that generates free radicals. In accordance with the teachings of WO 2015/127479, this additional curing may be done within a low oxygen plasma.

If desired, partial curing can be performed while the fabric is in contact with the template, followed by additional curing after the fabric is removed from the template. In such embodiments, enough curing is performed on the template to cure the curable coating composition enough to lock in the texturing. The curing time on the template might be, for example, 1 to 5 half-lives of the thermally activated free radical initiator at such curing temperature or, for example, 1 to 25 seconds or 5 to 25 seconds. Additional curing is then performed to convert unreacted monomers, complete crosslinking and develop the polymer properties. It is important that at least partial curing be done when the fabric is shaped into a textured design, so that this texturing is permanently maintained by the fabric. Total curing time (including curing on the template and after the fabric is removed) may be, for example, 2 to 25 half-lives or 4 to 20 half-lives of the thermally-activated free radical initiator at the curing temperature or, for example 5 to 100 seconds or 10 to 50 seconds.

The curable coating composition may be cured in a low oxygen environment as described, for example, in WO 2015/127479, incorporated herein by reference. Such a curing process may include, for example the steps of:

A) removing air from the interstitial void spaces, and then

B) curing the curable coating composition on the air permeable fabric to form an air permeable coated fabric having a cured coating adherent to at least some of the intersecting fibers, wherein the curing is performed in the presence of free radicals and in a low oxygen environment until the conversion of monomer(s) is at least 50 mole-percent.

The step A) may be include, for example, a step of compressing the coated porous fabric, a step of forcing a gas having an oxygen content of 1 mole-percent or less into the interstitial void spaces of the porous fabric to displace air from the interstitial void spaces; the steps of 2-a) applying a liquid to at least one surface the fabric to form a moistened and coated fabric and 2-b) heating the moistened and coated fabric to volatilize the liquid and produce vapor at superatmospheric pressure to displace air from the interstitial void spaces.

The curing step B may include a step of forcing the curable coating into the fabric under force of applied superatmospheric pressure in an oxygen-deficient gas and then, without exposing the substrate with applied curable coating to an atmosphere containing 1 mole-percent or less oxygen, at least partially curing the curable coating composition by heating the fabric with the applied curable coating composition under oxygen-deficient conditions to a temperature sufficient to activate a heat-activated polymerization initiator and initiate polymerization. Such a process is described, for example, in WO 2017/020018, incorporated herein by reference. An oxygen-deficient environment is defined for purposes of this invention as a gas having an oxygen level of less than 0.5%. Step B may also involve exposing the coated fabric to a convective hot gas having an oxygen content of 1 mole percent or less for a time and temperature sufficient to decompose at least 50 mole % of the free radical initiator.

In some embodiments, at least two hydrophobic curable coating compositions are sequentially applied to the fabric and cured. In one such embodiment, a first coating composition as described above is applied, the fabric is textured, and the coating composition is cured to lock the three-dimensional surface into the fabric as described before. This coating step may be performed in an oxygen-deficient environment. The first curable coating composition may be applied and/or cured under applied superatmospheric pressure as described above, but it has been found advantageous to apply and cure this first coating composition under relatively low applied pressure such as, for example, up to 2.5 atmospheres, up to 1.5 atmospheres or up to 1.25 atmospheres. After the first coating composition is cured sufficiently to form a flexible, crosslinked polymer that mechanically locks the three-dimensional surface into the fabric, a second curable coating composition is applied and cured. The cure of the second coating composition preferably is performed in an oxygen deficient environment. The second coating composition preferably is forced into the fabric under force of applied superatmospheric pressure (such as at least 3 atmospheres, at least 5 atmospheres or at least 10 atmospheres, up to for example 50 atmospheres or up to 30 atmospheres) and then cured.

This two-step approach has been found to produce fabrics in which the three-dimensional surface is securely locked, and which also exhibits superior water-repellency. In particular, this approach allows the formulation of the first coating composition to be adapted for producing a highly crosslinked polymer that provides secure mechanical locking of the three-dimensional surface, but which may not by itself provide strongly hydrophobic character to the fabric. The second coating then can be adapted to provide strongly hydrophobic characteristics (and other characteristics as may be useful).

The two-step approach is particularly useful for treating heavy fabrics, fabrics requiring a somewhat heavy coating, and/or fabrics that are subject to wear and/or compression during use. Examples of such fabrics include fabrics for awnings, umbrellas and specific sections of outerwear, which are subject to wear and compression. Shoulder portions of article of clothing, for example, which may experience spatial wear due to the rubbing and weight of backpack straps, are candidates for such two-step treatment approach.

The curable coating composition may be applied to the fabric before, simultaneously with or after the three-dimensional surface features are applied to its surface by contact with the textured template, provided that the impregnated fabric has enough residence time in contact with the textured template to cure the coating composition to form a flexible-crosslinked polymer that locks in the three-dimensional surface features. It is generally preferable to apply the curable coating composition to the fabric prior to contacting the fabric with the textured template, for ease of application.

The curable coating composition can be applied to the fabric in any useful manner, including by spraying, rolling, brushing, immersion and the like. The curable coating composition can be formed into a film onto which the fabric is laminated.

In addition to the benefit afforded by channeling of water through the low points of the textured fabric, the textured fabric of the invention has a secondary benefit that helps for protection against rain and sprayed liquids. Although the invention is not limited to any theory, applicants believe that that liquid droplets, particularly droplets having diameters of about 0.5 to 4 mm (and especially 2 to 4 mm) break up into smaller droplets when they impact the projections of the textured fabric. This fragmentation is due to the combination of the water droplet kinetic energy and the texturing of the surface: the distortion created by a water drop striking the textured surface with kinetic energy is sufficient to overcome the surface tension of the water drop. The result is that the water drop breaks into smaller droplets, many of which rebound away from the fabric. In contrast, when the same water drop having the same kinetic energy strikes a flat fabric, the droplet is simply flattened, and the kinetic energy of the drop increases the water penetration through the fabric and between the yarn.

The size range of about 0.5 to 4 mm corresponds to the size of most rain droplets. This dimensionally allows the impact of the falling rain droplet onto the structured surface to overcome its surface tension and break into smaller droplets that primarily rebound away from the fabric surface. The kinetic energy of the falling droplets is partially dissipated to overcome the surface tension force. The smaller droplets formed by fragmentation of the water drop are either rebounded away from the fabric or have less kinetic energy to force the water drop between the yarn. As a result, the textured fabric is highly resistant to penetration from droplets of water or other liquids, at least in this size range.

In addition, the flexible, crosslinked polymer provides hydrophobic surface characteristics to the textured fabric. This causes the fabric to repel water and other hydrophilic liquids, further increasing its resistance to water penetration.

The flexible, crosslinked polymer may be selected to be oleophobic as well as hydrophobic, in which case the polymer provides additional resistance to hydrophobic liquids such as hydrocarbons, oils, greases and the like.

Despite its excellent resistance to liquid droplets, the textured fabric of the invention is highly breathable due at least in part to its high air permeability. Apparel made with the textured fabric is therefore comfortable to wear because humidity can escape through the fabric.

The textured fabric also has additional surface area due to the presence of the raised projections, which improves the breathability of the fabric.

Accordingly, the textured fabric of the invention is useful as an exterior shell of outerwear and in particular outdoor apparel such as rain gear, athletic gear and footwear. Among such apparel are articles of clothing such as shirts, pants, sweaters, coats, sweatshirts, gloves, hats, scarfs, leg- and arm-warmers and stockings. In such applications, the textured fabric may be used by itself as a sole layer of the garment or footwear or can be present as an outer layer of a multi-layer construction. For example, a garment may include the textured fabric as an exterior layer, and one or more interior layers such as a fleece, a lining, thermal insulation, microporous membrane, or other layer. Additional interior fabric layers may be added for greater water repellency performance.

Similarly, the textured fabric of the invention is useful as an exterior shell of protective clothing, such as may be worn by workers who are at risk of exposure to sprayed liquids. This may include, for example, protective outerwear for fire fighters, medical personnel, sewage workers, pipeline workers, kitchen workers and other industrial workers who might be exposed to sprays. As before, the textured fabric may be used by itself or as the face fabric of a multi-layer structure.

The textured fabric of the invention is also useful as an exterior shell of outdoor equipment such as tents, awnings, hammocks, tarpaulins, umbrellas and the like. It can be used as a bedding material such as a sheet, blanket, or as an exterior shell of a sleeping bag. It is useful to make curtains, shower curtains and protective barriers. It is useful as an exterior shell of luggage or packaging such as, for example, backpacks, duffel bags, storage bags, tote bags, and the like. The textured fabric is useful, by itself or as a layer of a multi-layer structure, as a protective rain cover for outdoor furniture, boat covers or other outdoor equipment.

In any of the foregoing uses, the textured fabric of the invention may form one or more layers of a multilayer fabric. Such a multilayer fabric therefore comprises at least one layer of a textured fabric of the invention, and at least one other layer that is not a textured fabric of the invention. The nature of the other layer is not particularly limited and will be selected in accordance with the particular requirements for the specific multilayer fabric. As mentioned, the other layer in a multilayer fabric for apparel uses may be, among other things, a fleece, a lining, thermal insulation or a microporous membrane (such as Gore-Tex or similar products). The other layer for non-apparel uses may be, for example, can be selected from a wide variety of fabrics and sheet materials that require or would benefit from protection from water or other liquid sprays.

The following examples are provided to illustrate the invention, but not intended to limit the scope thereof. All parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

EXAMPLE 1

A 330 gsm acrylic fabric is gravure-coated with a curable coating composition as generally described in WO 2015/127479 at a coating weight of 5-6 gsm. The coated fabric is positioned between a textured template and a deformable foamed elastomer surface. The textured template produces about 2 truncated square pyramidal projections per square centimeter. The height of the projections is 0.5 mm. The projections are arranged in a square array. The coating is applied under an applied atmospheric pressure of about 100 kPa. Curing is performed under a nitrogen atmosphere in a 140° C. oven. Then, a second coating composition as generally described in WO 2015/127479, having a lower proportion of cross-linking monomer, is applied to the fabric, at a coating weight of 7-8 gsm. The fabric with second applied coating is subjected to an applied atmospheric pressure of 17 atmospheres and cured under this pressure at 90° C. The resulting textured fabric is designated Example 1. It has an air permeability substantially unchanged from that of the untreated fabric. The fabric sheds water well and is suitable for awnings and boat covers. During rain exposure, the textured surface is seen to break up large water droplets, resulting in a higher Bundesmann rating, using the ISO 9865 performance metrics. The improvement in ISO 9865 rating is about 1 point higher on the 5 point ISO scale. The raised projections are permanently locked into the fabric and exhibit flexibility and also return to the same textured shape after being tensioned.

EXAMPLES 2 and 3

A 50 gsm lightweight rip stop nylon fabric is chemically treated in the same way as Example 1 but is cured against a heated sawtooth 3-dimensional shape having triangular, parallel ridges separated by 0.8 cm (1.2/cm frequency) and having a height of 2 mm.

Comparative Sample A is prepared in the same manner, except the fabric is not textured during the curing operation. This results in a traditionally flat and DWR-treated substrate.

Example 3 is made in the same way as Example 2, except the fabric is a 15 dernier X 15 dernier nylon fabric having a weight of about 28 gsm. The air permeability of the untreated fabric is about 80 cubic feet/minute per ASTM D737, which is not changed significantly after coating and texturing.

Comparative Sample B is made in the same way as Example 3 but is not textured and so is flat, but is also treated with the same DWR coating

The water repellency of each of Examples 2-3 and Comparative Samples A and B are evaluated using a Bundesmann rain shower test (also known as ISO 9865 test method). Results (rating, % water weight gained and water penetration through the sample) are as indicated in the following table. Significantly less water penetration through the fabric is seen for the textured samples.

TABLE % Water Water Fabric Air Flow ISO 9865 Weight penetration Designation Type Textured? (scfm) Rating gained (mL) Comp. A* Ripstop No 38 4.7 7.95 37 Nylon Ex. 2 Ripstop Yes 38 4.4 18.55 6 Nylon Comp. B* 15D × 15D No 80 4.8 3.68 35 Nylon Ex. 3 15D × 15D Yes 80 4.6 8.94 17 Nylon

EXAMPLE 4

A 50 gsm woven polyester fabric with an air permeability of 10 scfm as measured by ASTM D737 is treated as generally described in WO 2015/127479 at a coating weight of 5-6 gsm to have a textured, 3-dimensional surface consisting of an array of triangular ridges separated by 0.8 cm and with a height of 2 mm. This textured fabric is next coated with a second curable monomeric coating having lesser amounts of crosslinking agents, also as generally described in WO 2015/127479, with an additional coating weight of 5-6 gsm. This textured face fabric is combined with an insulating spacer consisting of 2 mm thick high air permeability polypropylene webbing that is placed in between the textured face fabric and a second, flat fabric treated for high water repellency, also as described in WO 2015/127479. The composite of these three structures is clamped onto the test cups of a Bundesmann ISO 9865 water repellency tester and is exposed to a continuous, heavy rain test for 30 minutes. No water penetrates through the composite structure, even though the air permeability of the composite structure is 5 cfm (ASTM D737). This demonstrates a rain-proof, breathable structure that has about 20× more air permeability than a comparative composite membrane fabric.

In specific embodiments, the invention is:

1. A textured fabric coated with a crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating, the textured fabric being characterized in having an air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm (0.0472 l/s) as measured according to ASTM D737, wherein the textured fabric has at least one three-dimensional surface characterized by having raised projections separated by depressed areas wherein the raised projections have a pitch of 0.25 to 10 mm and a height of about 0.3 to 8 mm above the height of the depressed areas, and wherein the crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating locks the three-dimensional surface into the textured fabric.

2. The textured fabric of embodiment 1 wherein the raised projections have an aspect ratio of 1 to 5 and the three-dimensional surface has 1.2 to 1600 raised projections per square centimeter.

3. The textured fabric of embodiment 1 or 2 wherein the three-dimensional surface includes 4 to 400 raised projections per square centimeter.

4. The textured fabric of embodiment 2 or 3 wherein the three-dimensional surface includes 10 to 225 raised projections per square centimeter.

5. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein the raised projections have a height of 0.5 to 5 mm above the height of the depressed areas.

6. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein the raised projections have a height of 1 to 3.5 mm above the height of the depressed areas.

7. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein the raised projections have a conical, truncated conical, pyramidal or truncated pyramidal shape.

8. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein the raised projections are arranged in a regular two-dimensional array.

9. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein multiple depressed areas are contiguous and form a channel through which a fluid can flow.

10. The textured fabric of embodiment 1 wherein the raised projections have an aspect ratio of greater than 5.

11. The textured fabric of embodiment 10 wherein the raised projections span the fabric in at least one dimension.

12. The textured fabric of embodiment 11 wherein the depressed areas form channels through which a fluid can flow.

13. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment which has an air permeability of at least 2 scfm (standard cubic feet per minute) (4.72 l/s) as measured by ASTM D737, using a SDL Atlas M021A instrument and a 20 cm² test area.

14. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein a durable, water-repellency finish results from the polymeric coating and the coated fabric has a rating of at least 90 on the AATCC Test Method 22 (Water Repellency Spray Test):

15. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment which has a moisture transmission rate of 5000 to 500,000 g/m²/24 hour, as measured according to JISL 1099B1.

16. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment which exhibits an air permeability of at least 5 scfm (standard cubic feet per minute) as measured by ASTM D737, using a SDL Atlas M021A instrument and a 20 cm² test area.

17. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment which exhibits untreated moisture transmission rate of at least 10,000 g/sq meter/24 hours as measured according to JISL 1099B1.

18. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment which has a weight of 20-200 gsm (grams per square meter).

19. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment which has a thickness of at most 2 mm.

20. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein the flexible, crosslinked polymer has a weight of at least 10 grams per square meter.

21. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein the flexible, crosslinked polymer has a weight of 2 to 25 grams per square meter.

22. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein the flexible, crosslinked polymer is hydrophobic.

23. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein the raised projection forms a logo or graphic image.

24. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein the flexible, crosslinked polymer is a polymer of a) at least one monomer that has exactly one polymerizable group per molecule and least one hydrocarbyl group that has at least six carbon atoms bonded directly or indirectly to the polymerizable group and b) at least one crosslinking monomer.

25. The textured fabric of any preceding embodiment wherein the flexible, crosslinked polymer is a polymer formed by curing a curable coating composition that includes

a) at least one monomer that has exactly one polymerizable group per molecule and least one hydrocarbyl group that has at least six carbon atoms bonded directly or indirectly to the polymerizable group, b) at least one crosslinking monomer, c) one or more heat- or UV-activated free-radical initiators, and e) one or more carriers.

26. A multilayer fabric structure having a first layer which is a textured fabric of any of embodiments 1-25 and at least one additional layer.

27. The multilayer fabric structure of embodiment 26 wherein said additional layer is a fabric treated with a water-repellant treatment.

28. The multilayer fabric structure of embodiment 27 further comprising at least one spacing fabric layer between the face layer and the layer of the non-textured fabric is a microporous membrane.

29. A method for producing a textured fabric of any of preceding embodiment, comprising

a) contacting an impregnated untextured starting fabric against a textured template to form a three-dimensional shape on the impregnated starting fabric, which three-dimensional shape includes raised projections, separated by depressed areas and wherein the raised projections have a pitch of 0.25 to 10 mm and a height of about 0.3 to 8 mm above the height of the depressed areas, wherein

i) the starting untextured fabric prior to impregnation has an untreated air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm as measured by ASTM D737; and

ii) the starting untextured fabric is impregnated with a curable coating composition that is applied to at least one surface of the starting fabric, wherein the curable coating composition 1) at 22° C. and at atmospheric pressure is a liquid or a suspension of one or more solids in a liquid phase and 2) is curable to form a crosslinked, hydrophobic flexible polymer;

b) at least partially curing the curable coating composition while the impregnated fabric is in contact with the template to form a crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating and lock the three-dimensional surface into the fabric to produce a textured fabric; and then

c) removing the resulting textured fabric with the three-dimensional surface from the template;

wherein the textured fabric having the three-dimensional surface has an air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm as measured according to ASTM D737 and a rating of at least 90 on the AATCC Test Method 22 (Water Repellency Spray Test).

30. The process of embodiment 29 wherein the at least partial curing is performed in an oxygen-deficient environment.

31. The process of embodiment 29 or 30 wherein the at least partial curing includes a free-radical polymerization step.

32. The process of embodiment 30 wherein the free-radical polymerization step is at least partially thermally induced or plasma-induced, or both.

33. The process of embodiment 30 wherein curable coating composition is forced into the fabric under force of applied superatmospheric pressure and is then cured.

34. The process of any of embodiments 29-33 wherein the step of applying the curable coating composition to the fabric and the curing step are performed under an atmospheric pressure of no more than 1.5 atmospheres.

35. The process of any of embodiments 29-34 further comprising, after step c), applying a second curable coating composition to the textured textile and curing the second curable coating composition on the textured textile.

36. The process of embodiment 35 wherein the second curable coating composition produces upon curing a hydrophobic coating.

37. The process of embodiment 35 or 36 wherein the second curable coating composition is forced into the fabric under force of applied superatmospheric pressure and is then cured.

38. A method for producing a textured fabric of any of embodiments 1-25, comprising

a) providing a starting untextured fabric having an untreated air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm as measured by ASTM D737;

b) applying a curable coating composition to at least one surface of the starting fabric to form an impregnated fabric, wherein the curable coating composition 1) at 22° C. and at atmospheric pressure is a liquid or a suspension of one or more solids in a liquid phase and 2) is curable to form a crosslinked, hydrophobic flexible polymer;

c) contacting the impregnated fabric against a textured template to form a three-dimensional surface on the impregnated fabric, which three-dimensional surface includes raised projections separated by depressed areas wherein the raised projections have a pitch of 0.25 to 10 mm and a height of about 0.3 to 8 mm above the height of the depressed areas; then

d) at least partially curing the curable coating composition while the impregnated fabric is in contact with the template to form a crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating and lock the three-dimensional surface into the fabric to form the textured fabric; and then

e) removing the textured fabric from the template,

wherein the textured fabric has an air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm as measured according to ASTM D737 and a rating of at least 90 on the AATCC Test Method 22 (Water Repellency Spray Test).

39. The method of any of embodiments 29-38 wherein step d) is performed by heating the impregnated fabric to a temperature of 100 to 180° C.

40. A textured garment including a fabric of any of embodiments 1-25 on at least one exterior surface thereof.

41. The textured garment of embodiment 40 wherein the projections of the three-dimensional surface form a fish-scale pattern.

42. The textured garment of embodiment 40 wherein the projections of the three-dimensional surface form a 2-dimensional linear array.

43. The textured garment of embodiment 40 wherein the depressed areas form a 1-dimensional array of channels through which a liquid can flow.

44. The textured garment of any of embodiments 40-43 that is an outerwear jacket. 

1. A textured fabric coated with a crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating, the textured fabric being characterized in having an air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm (0.0472 l/s) as measured according to ASTM D737 wherein the textured fabric has at least one three-dimensional surface characterized by having raised projections separated by depressed areas, wherein the raised projections have a pitch 0.25 to 10 mm and height of about 0.3 to 8 mm above the height of the depressed areas, and wherein the crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating locks the three-dimensional surface into the textured fabric.
 2. The textured fabric of claim 1 wherein the raised projections have an aspect ratio of 1 to 5 and the three-dimensional surface has 1.2 to 1600 raised projections per square centimeter.
 3. The textured fabric of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional surface includes 4 to 400 raised projections per square centimeter.
 4. The textured fabric of claim 1 wherein the raised projections have a height of 0.5 to 5 mm above the height of the depressed areas.
 5. The textured fabric of claim 1 wherein the raised projections have a conical, truncated conical, pyramidal or truncated pyramidal shape.
 6. The textured fabric of claim 1 wherein the raised projections are arranged in a regular two-dimensional array.
 7. The textured fabric of claim 1 wherein multiple depressed areas are contiguous and form a channel through which a fluid can flow.
 8. The textured fabric of claim 1 wherein the raised projections have an aspect ratio of greater than
 5. 9. The textured fabric of claim 8 wherein the raised projections span the fabric in at least one dimension.
 10. (canceled)
 11. The textured fabric of claim 1 which has an air permeability of at least 5 scfm (standard cubic feet per minute) (2.36 l/s) as measured by ASTM D737, using a SDL Atlas M021A instrument and a 20 cm² test area.
 12. The textured fabric of claim 1 wherein the three-dimensional surface has a water repellency rating of at least 90 on the AATCC Test Method
 22. 13. The textured fabric of claim 1 which has a moisture transmission rate of 5000 to 500,000 g/m²/24 hour, as measured according to JISL 1099B1.
 14. The textured fabric of claim 1 which has a weight of 10-200 gsm (grams per square meter). 15-19. (canceled)
 20. A method for producing a textured fabric of claim 1, comprising a) contacting an impregnated starting untextured fabric against a textured template to form a three-dimensional surface on the impregnated fabric, which three-dimensional surface includes raised projections separated by depressed areas, wherein the raised projections have a pitch of 0.25 to 10 mm and have a height of about 0.3 to 8 mm above the height of the depressed areas, wherein i) the starting fabric has an untreated air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm (0.0472 L/s) as measured by ASTM D737; and ii) the starting fabric is impregnated with a curable coating composition that is applied to at least one surface of the starting fabric, wherein the curable coating composition 1) at 22° C. and at atmospheric pressure is a liquid or a suspension of one or more solids in a liquid phase and 2) is curable to form a crosslinked, hydrophobic flexible polymer; b) at least partially curing the curable coating composition while the impregnated fabric is in contact with the template to form a crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating and lock the three-dimensional surface into the fabric to form the textured fabric; and then c) removing the textured fabric from the template.
 21. The process of claim 20 wherein the at least partial curing is performed in an oxygen-deficient environment.
 22. The process of claim 20 wherein the heated temperature of the template is between 100 and 180 C.
 23. The process of claim 20 further comprising, after step c), applying a second curable coating composition to the textured textile and curing the second curable coating composition on the textured textile.
 24. A method for producing a textured fabric of claim 1, comprising a) providing a starting untextured fabric having an untreated air permeability of at least 0.1 scfm (0.0472 L/s) as measured by ASTM D737; b) applying a curable coating composition to at least one surface of the starting untextured fabric to form an impregnated fabric, wherein the curable coating composition 1) at 22° C. and at atmospheric pressure is a liquid or a suspension of one or more solids in a liquid phase and 2) is curable to form a crosslinked, hydrophobic flexible polymer; c) contacting the impregnated fabric against a heated, textured template to form a three-dimensional surface on the impregnated fabric, which three-dimensional surface includes raised projections separated by depressed areas, the raised projections having a pitch of 0.25 to 10 mm and a height of about 0.3 to 8 mm above the height of the depressed areas; then d) at least partially curing the curable coating composition in a low oxygen environment while the impregnated fabric is in contact with the template to form a crosslinked, flexible polymeric coating and lock the three-dimensional surface into the fabric to produce the textured fabric; and then e) removing the textured fabric from the template.
 25. A garment including a textured fabric of claim 1 on at least one exterior surface thereof.
 26. The textured fabric of claim 1 wherein the flexible, crosslinked polymer is a polymer formed by curing a curable coating composition that includes a) at least one monomer that has exactly one polymerizable group per molecule and least one hydrocarbyl group that has at least six carbon atoms bonded directly or indirectly to the polymerizable group, b) at least one crosslinking monomer, c) one or more heat- or UV-activated free-radical initiators, and e) one or more carriers. 